


Never say you're sorry

by A_cup_of_Earl_Grey



Category: NCIS
Genre: Angry Kate, Caring Gibbs, F/M, Gibbs being kind of an ass, Post-Case
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2015-11-04
Packaged: 2018-04-30 01:46:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5145725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_cup_of_Earl_Grey/pseuds/A_cup_of_Earl_Grey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A hellish week at work, a sore back, and finally a time off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never say you're sorry

**Author's Note:**

> This one kind of jumped me after a sore back of my own and several days of fogs, cold and no sunshine, unfortunatelly with no change of weather in sight. Ack, I need sun!  
> I'm honestly not sure if I should mark it as a ship or rather something more platonic. Any thoughts?
> 
> Any and all mistakes are my own. Let me know if you find anything. Concrit always welcome.
> 
> Sorry, I'm kind of crap at summaries.

One drop. One damn blood drop was the only trace they needed to match with their suspect to catch him. Too bad it took them four days of constant work and sleeping in the office. With these ‘optimistic’ thoughts, NCIS Special Agent Caitlin Todd plopped down on her bed, with a contented but exhausted sigh, at the beginning of her well-deserved weekend off.

She felt drained and her back hurt, the latter being a combined result of sleeping on the floor behind her desk in the office and enduring her boss’ crazy driving skills. Gibbs has been angrier than usual since the day they got the case. They had a suspect, but no actual evidence he did it, so, as usual, Gibbs started pushing them so hard it started grating even on her nerves. Luckily, on the fourth day Abby managed to find a matching blood drop and they could finally arrest the perp. Who hid on a campsite with horrible access roads which did not stop Gibbs from driving like on a highway. At times like that she reminded herself to make sure she stayed on the boss’ good side.

Finally, the whole team got a weekend off and they could rest. Kate decided that a long soak in a hot tub was in order and rolled out of bed. An hour later, smelling of lavender, she changed into a navy blue one-piece swimsuit and, slightly without grace, stretched on a large dark-green towel by the pool in her backyard. This was heaven! The weather was warm, not a cloud in the sky. The sun was shining down on her back, heating up all the tight spots. So relaxed she almost purred, she didn’t notice the sound that accompanied the opening of her backyard door.

¯

Gibbs felt guilty. Of course, 'Never say you’re sorry' was one of his rules, but still… He knew he was pushing his Agents, but the case made him seriously angry. So did his behavior make Kate. His female colleague was one of the few people who did not hesitate to say or even yell their opinion right in his face. That was one of the things he loved about her since they first met. On the third day, or rather night, of the case, when Abby fell asleep in the lab, Tony and McGee were almost falling asleep standing, she could barely keep her eyes open, not to mention think, and Gibbs was on his fifth coffee of the day, Kate snapped. She practically snarled at him to let them go to sleep, because they wouldn’t be able to do anything if they were that exhausted. At first surprised by her outburst, he finally agreed. He knew they were all tired, so he decided to personally check if they were fine. Each of his teammates was either asleep or going to sleep for at least a day.

Kate was his last stop. The whole team had keys to each other’s houses, so when she didn’t answer the door, he let himself in. Since he didn’t find her in the house, he went to check the backyard. What he saw there made him mile.

Gibbs knew Kate hated it when he sneaked up on her, but he couldn’t help himself. He approached her as silently as he could without giving away his presence. When he was less than two feet away, he suddenly spoke.

“Kate,” he drawled, smiling inwardly. She whirled around, surprised. Dozing, she didn’t notice anyone was with her. Her right arm instinctively went to her hip where her service weapon usually was. When Kate realized who the intruder was, she plopped back on the towel, face down.

“Tell me we don’t have a case,” she groaned. “We got a weekend off!” Getting up was the last thing on her mind right now.

“Nope,” Gibbs replied. “Just wanted to check if you are ok.”

“I’m exhausted, my back hurts, and I’m happy as hell about the time off. Apart from that everything is great,” Kate grumbled, a bit harsher than she intended. She was still irritated after all. Her mood would change as soon as she got her rest.

“You know we had to act quickly.”

“Yep. I figured some time ago that working like this is normal with you. My muscles are the ones protesting, and I’m almost always like this when I’m tired.”

Kate barely managed to finish the sentence when she practically jumped at the feel of big, warm hands on her shoulders. Said hands began to rub gently, slowly easing the tension. “Relax, Katie,” Gibbs teased. Kate always scrunched her nose at this endearment. “I just wanna help.”

She eased herself back on the towel, loosening her muscles as much as she could. Feeling that, Gibbs began to knead in earnest, methodically searching Kate’s neck and back for knots. Each time one was dissipated, he felt Kate relax more. She fought with herself, trying not to purr. No need to let him get all smug. They sat in comfortable silence for several minutes when Gibbs spoke.

“Kate, I…”

“I know, Gibbs,” she sighed, happily relaxed. “I know.”

And the battle was _lost_. Gibbs grinned, hearing Kate purr.


End file.
